LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Kentucky softball team eliminated Virginia Tech from NCAA play Sunday on a dramatic final day of the Lexington Regional.

After the Hokies forced a winner-take-all clash with a 2-0 victory in the first game of the regional championship round at John Cropp Stadium, the host Wildcats answered with a 1-0 win that put them into the Super Regionals.

“We did what we needed to do to compete and try to move on, and obviously I thought coming into this regional we matched up well with Kentucky,” Hokies coach Scot Thomas said. “I think we proved that today.

“Hats off to them, hats off to my team for battling all last night and battling all day today. I am proud of our bunch for sure."

Kentucky came up with the decisive score in the fifth inning when the Wildcats converted an error into a run off a hard-hit single.

Virginia Tech closed the year 38-21 after advancing to its second straight regional final.

The Hokies had reached the championship round with a 13-inning, 3-2 win over Marshall that lasted nearly four hours Saturday.

The 17th-ranked and 12th-seeded Wildcats (41-19) advanced to the Super Regional for just the second time in school history. They await the winner of the Tempe Regional between Arizona State and Southeastern Conference foe Georgia.